Acute stress and human spatial working memory strategy use

Acute stress can impair human working memory. Little is known, however, about the effects of acute stress on working memory strategies. The goal of this research was to investigate the effects of acute stress on use of a systematic spatial working memory search strategy. Participants (28 females and...

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Main Authors: Robyn A. Husa, Tony W. Buchanan, Brenda A. Kirchhoff
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2023-01-01
Series:Stress
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10253890.2022.2155046
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author Robyn A. Husa
Tony W. Buchanan
Brenda A. Kirchhoff
author_facet Robyn A. Husa
Tony W. Buchanan
Brenda A. Kirchhoff
author_sort Robyn A. Husa
collection DOAJ
description Acute stress can impair human working memory. Little is known, however, about the effects of acute stress on working memory strategies. The goal of this research was to investigate the effects of acute stress on use of a systematic spatial working memory search strategy. Participants (28 females and 20 males per group) completed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) or control tasks. Use of a systematic spatial working memory search strategy was measured through performance on the spatial working memory subtest of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). The TSST was effective at producing subjective and cortisol stress responses, but there was no significant stress effect on use of a systematic search strategy or working memory search errors. There were also no significant relationships between subjective and cortisol stress responses and use of a systematic search strategy or working memory search errors within the stress group. These results suggest that acute stress does not impair the self-generation or execution of a systematic spatial working memory search strategy.
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spelling doaj.art-f0d9d4fcbd7f47529154e2639f90c8212023-12-05T16:09:49ZengTaylor & Francis GroupStress1025-38901607-88882023-01-01261152010.1080/10253890.2022.21550462155046Acute stress and human spatial working memory strategy useRobyn A. Husa0Tony W. Buchanan1Brenda A. Kirchhoff2Department of Psychology, Saint Louis UniversityDepartment of Psychology, Saint Louis UniversityDepartment of Psychology, Saint Louis UniversityAcute stress can impair human working memory. Little is known, however, about the effects of acute stress on working memory strategies. The goal of this research was to investigate the effects of acute stress on use of a systematic spatial working memory search strategy. Participants (28 females and 20 males per group) completed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) or control tasks. Use of a systematic spatial working memory search strategy was measured through performance on the spatial working memory subtest of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). The TSST was effective at producing subjective and cortisol stress responses, but there was no significant stress effect on use of a systematic search strategy or working memory search errors. There were also no significant relationships between subjective and cortisol stress responses and use of a systematic search strategy or working memory search errors within the stress group. These results suggest that acute stress does not impair the self-generation or execution of a systematic spatial working memory search strategy.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10253890.2022.2155046acute stresscantabcortisolsubjective stresstrier social stress testworking memory
spellingShingle Robyn A. Husa
Tony W. Buchanan
Brenda A. Kirchhoff
Acute stress and human spatial working memory strategy use
Stress
acute stress
cantab
cortisol
subjective stress
trier social stress test
working memory
title Acute stress and human spatial working memory strategy use
title_full Acute stress and human spatial working memory strategy use
title_fullStr Acute stress and human spatial working memory strategy use
title_full_unstemmed Acute stress and human spatial working memory strategy use
title_short Acute stress and human spatial working memory strategy use
title_sort acute stress and human spatial working memory strategy use
topic acute stress
cantab
cortisol
subjective stress
trier social stress test
working memory
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10253890.2022.2155046
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